3 Reasons to Practice Organic Lawn Care

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Dreaming of spring may be the only thing that carries me through the winter. Each year, I receive a notice from Good Nature Organic Lawn Care asking if I would like an early bird discount on services for the year. Of course! I like a good deal, so early pay is a no brainer for me.

Organic Lawn Care

Typically I order a late summer application of nematodes (microscopic organisms that help control grubs). I was once, just like you. I had never heard of nematodes. I didn’t know organic lawn care existed. And I may have been throwing some Scotts fertilizer on my lawn along with some grub killing pesticide – thinking that was the best, and only – option. Enter Good Nature Organic Lawn Care.

The company’s founder, Alec McClennan, along with Beyond Pesticides Ohio, offered a round of public presentations a few years ago in the Cleveland, Ohio-area – one of which I attended. During the roughly two-hour session my eyes were opened to the hazards of using pesticides to control weeds, grubs and other lawn-killers. Right then, I decided to stop using chemicals. Here’s why I only practice organic lawn care:

I have purchased fertilizer through my local company, and I have also purchased Espoma fertilizer (available in Cleveland at Petitti Garden Centers and anywhere online). In total, it costs about $100 per year for the organic program.

*This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated and republished for accuracy and comprehensiveness. I’m not affiliated with Good Nature Organic Lawn Care in any way. I simply value their service and what they do for the environment.

About Holly Hammersmith

Holly Hammersmith is an independent writer and editor. She blogs about how to keep a healthy home and lifestyle. Topics include wellness, household, saving money, gardening and more. Holly lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, toddler daughter and rescue dog Lulu.

Comments

It’s scary to think of all the chemicals that we encounter every day, notto mention chemicals that my kids would roll around on in the grass. It’s totally not worth it to have a weed-free lawn if it’s full of nasty chemicals. So organic definitely seems the way to go!

I need to find that fertilizer. I’ve been making my husband go pesticide and fertilizer free since I hadn’t found a replacement and our yard totally looks like it. Need to help it out without hurting the environment.

I prefer to do organic lawn care and gardening because of my kids. It’s especially important for our backyard vegetable garden since we eat from it! I have a really hard time keeping critters out, though, and often lose a lot of good food to them.

I tried some organic lawn care last year, and it didn’t work . After the winter, these killer weeds just popped out from everywhere and started taking over my flower bed. It was scary. I did the organic thing, and it did nothing at all. Finally, I just put cardboard and mulch over the weeds and that did it.

Really, no chemicals are better for everything – but if I’m going to buy it, I expect it to work, you know? Not be food for the further growth of weeds. After my experience, I haven’t bought anything else. I just did the cardboard thing and put thins above ground in pots. I guess this was the cowards way.

Thanks for this. I will definitely look into it.

Also, thank you so much for participating in the 100 day blog challenge.

I really believe in this. We’ve had some children pass away here in Utah from a chemical lawn care company.
It’s especially important with our garden… because we eat from there. But, our children and pets are outside rolling around. Thank you for posting this… great info!

Having worked for an environmental non profit group that focused on clean oceans and estuaries I completely agree with what you are saying and promoting. Our actions in our small spaces have more far reaching affects than we can really imagine. Every chemical we put down affects some part of the ecosystem. Thanks for bringing this to the forefront!

I worked in garden centres before I retired and in Ontario, many pesticides are banned. Grub control is only available as nematodes, they banned the grub control in lawn care years ago. Yes, organic gardening takes a bit to get used to and the results aren’t as fast as the old way, but it is so much better for the environment and as you said, kids & pets…not to mention the beneficial insects! For example, the monarch butterfly population is dwindling due to the over-use of Roundup killing off the weeds they live on. I hope more States get involved in organic lawn care & gardening by banning the harmful pesticides, too. And think of all the exercise we get from pulling out all those weeds by hand!
Debbie 🙂

Just think about all the chemicals breath in everyday during the summer. All those lawns being treated. Makes me sick, especially knowing my grand children are breathing all that in. Some day maybe we will all wake up 🙂 Thanks for sharing.

We do organic lawn care. I am committed to it -but, sometimes I can get discouraged -and, other times I am beating the neighbors with a greener lawn! Overall, I am satisfied, I just wish my one neighbor would control his dandelions… Any advice? I end up manually removing about 1 million (no exaggeration) because the neighbor does nothing with his lawn. Sad.

We went over to 100% organic lawn/garden a few years ago. I’m pretty sure our neighbors, who would live in Thneadville, given the choice, think that we are lunatics but maybe one of these years our beautiful sunflowers and abundant tomatoes will bring them over to our way of thinking.

You are so right about doing this for pets. I’ve had 3 dogs in the past die of cancer because they stayed in a backyard that we had to keep treated for fleas with chemicals. The dog I have now, has lived longer than any of the other ones and our yard is not treated that way. Thanks for sharing.

I don’t know if this is good or not, but I don’t do anything to my lawn! My backyard is mostly pavement and full of an unruly garden along the fence. I really don’t even water my grass or anything, just get the grass cut once every week or two… or three. It’s all self-maintained really lol! But then again, I’m not aiming for a perfectly manicured lawn.

Hi Holly! Great tips, I sent this post to my hubby 😉 Since having my daughter we have been trying to go as organic as possible in all aspects of our life. So happy I found your blog from the BYB challenge!

I’ve been doing an organic lawn for about three years now. Hired an organic company to fertilize, worm compost tea, etc. Best thing going organic did was reduce the weeds in my lawn. Healthier soil means healthier lawn means less weeds. I didn’t believe my lawn guy when he first told me this, but I’m a believer now.

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